


Echo Of A Past

by Musica



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-30
Updated: 2020-01-13
Packaged: 2021-02-27 14:55:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,245
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22028911
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Musica/pseuds/Musica
Summary: “It’s not a dream, Marinette. It’s a memory.”Bunnix may have fixed the timeline but the reality of Chat Blanc never fully went away.
Comments: 13
Kudos: 86





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Happy holidays! 
> 
> I know I said I was taking a breather to focus on cosplay but I actually had this ready for final touches. I have been brainstorming for HaHC (I swear) but my mind keeps jumping to later scenes rather than the very next chapter. 
> 
> A clarification: This story is written as if Marinette does not actually remember Chat Blanc. Full reasoning supplied in End Notes.

**_Marinette_.**

Bluebell eyes flew open to the dark. It took several seconds before the gray of the bedroom ceiling came into focus. A chill worked its way up her spine and Marinette took a shaky breath. Both hands came up to rub at her face only to find black bangs were lightly stuck to her forehead.

_It was just a dream_ , the girl letting the breath out unevenly as the growl of her name faded. “Just a dream,” she whispered in the hopes that speaking aloud could chase away the icy eyes and colder expression.

“Marinette?” a much sweeter voice coming from somewhere above her followed by a little yawn.

“Sorry for waking you, Tikki. Good night…again.” Eyelids purposely slid closed and cold blue eyes were staring back. Marinette’s eyes opened in a flash as another chill gave rise to gooseflesh. She didn’t realize she’d taken a sharp inhale.

“What’s wrong?” The pillow beside her shifted lightly as Tikki perched there.

“Nothing’s wrong. I just had a dream.”

“You mean a nightmare?”

“It…” The events of the dream were already gone upon waking. “It wasn’t a nightmare, exactly? It was…maybe somewhere between a good dream and a nightmare.” The girl rubbed at her arms to force the gooseflesh away. Cold air snuck under the covers but it failed to instill the same kind of chill the dream had. _Inhale, exhale. Inhale_ , the girl coaching herself to center mentally. Marinette closed her eyes again to recall what terrified her so. Blue eyes framed by white glimmered in her mind’s eye. The style of white hair and shape of the white mask were hazy but the cat eyes were crystal clear even in memory.

“Chat Noir wouldn’t get akumatized, right?” Marinette forced a singular laugh as if the concept was ridiculous.

This time, the kwami came to float in front of her chosen. “Having a Miraculous doesn’t make you immune. You know that, Marinette.”

“I know that but, it’s Chat. He wouldn’t get akumatized. He’s too optimistic…right?” The only time she’d really seen him broody was during Glaciator but he’d gone back to his usual cheer by the end of the night.

“I don’t think it very likely, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

Marinette sighed as she tried to imagine his face. Bright green eyes, warm skin, a smile, a mess of blond hair, and black leather _. Oh, right, he has a bell_ , she smiled as she mentally added the white ball.

White.

Everything was white.

Except his eyes.

Blue eyes.

**_Marinette_.**

“Marinette,” and Tikki’s warm paw brushed her cheek, making the girl jump. “Did you dream about fighting him?”

“I, no?” That didn’t seem right but the events were gone like sand in an hourglass. Even the cityscape was hazy now though it _had_ to have been Paris. Where had they been? “I can’t remember any fighting. It felt like…like when Alya and I have a fight. It was more like an argument,” except that didn’t feel entirely right, either. Maybe they had battled but it was with the knowledge that they were friends. “I didn’t want to hurt him. I don’t think he wanted to hurt me, either.”

“Did he try to take our Miraculous?”

“Maybe?” She took a measured breath and slowly let it go. “He knew my name.” Was Dream Chat so upset to learn the girl behind the mask as simple Marinette Dupain-Cheng? Why would he want her Miraculous?

Tikki gently stroked black locks. “It was just a dream, Marinette. You and Chat Noir have been keeping your identities secret specifically to keep each other safe.”

“Yeah.”

He was Chat _Noir_. Not Blanc.

It was just a dream.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Years after the first appearance of the dream, Marinette finally admits to her fear

“I’m so glad we ran into each other,” Marinette’s voice filled with warmth against the autumn chill. It had been years since she and Alix really spent time together. She couldn’t even recall a time it was literally just the two of them. Well, she _could_ , but this was Alix and Marinette, not Bunnix and Ladybug.

“Me, too.” Alix had grown up to be exactly what Marinette remembered from her Mini Bug days. Her hair was still shockingly pink, just shorter and wilder than her adolescent style. Despite having natural blue eyes, the skater girl had opted for contacts that made them even more strikingly blue. Piercings had been gradually acquired and there was an ink sleeve of clouds hidden under the black sweater. Alix Kubdel had remained her whimsical punky self as well as a steadfast friend and, secretly, Ladybug’s chosen protector of Time.

“Any plans while you’re in town?”

“Just catching up with people. Same old.” Alix took a hearty bite of her sandwich and groaned with pleasure. “Man, I forgot how good this place was.”

That got Marinette to chuckle. “You make it sound like you never get to eat here.”

Alix grinned around her next bite before neatly wiping her mouth. “Have you finished your holiday shopping yet?”

“No… I have several ideas in mind but I haven’t found anything just yet. If I don’t find something soon, I’ll have to crunch making the gifts but I’m already so busy I’d likely have to give everyone their gifts in February.”

“No one will be upset if you do. Everyone knows you prefer to make your gifts and that it takes time. Holidays are supposed to be fun, not stressful, so take it easy.”

“I know, it’s just…” Marinette tucked short loose hair behind one ear before picking up her own sandwich, “I really like having something to exchange under the tree.” She took a bite and chewed thoughtfully. “Maybe I can swing by that new boutique in the nineteenth arrondissement. I’ve seen some adverts for it. They have lots of cute animal stuff.”

Electric blue eyes gave her a steady look. “I would stay away from buying Alya anything foxlike.”

“What? Why? Did you get her something from Sérendipité?”

“No,” and there was a wry twist to pale lips, “but she’ll figure you out if you do.”

Silence pressed at her ears, Marinette’s world temporarily narrowing to Alix’s face. Eventually she realized the silence was the sound of blood rushing in her ears to the exclusion of all else. “…Oh.”

“Just a tip,” and Alix winked at her before taking another hearty bite. “Unless you were ready to tell her.”

“N-no-no, I’m…not. Not yet,” Marinette’s voice growing softer as she made it a point to really examine her friend. A furtive glance told her no one was paying them any attention: just two friends having lunch at a café. Not like there were any clues that they were also superheroes. “How old are you, again?”

The grin was full on Cheshire. “Not telling.”

“Figures,” the ravenette pouting. Bluebell flicked up to electric blue again before she let it drop. “Thanks for the tip.”

“Welcome.”

“Any other tips for my holiday shopping, or tips in general?”

“Nope. Just the one. For now.” She took a swig of water before debating finishing her plate in two bites or three. “I figured you weren’t ready.” Long fingers pulled a piece of carrot from between the bread and neatly tucked it away.

“I take it that bumping into you wasn’t coincidence,” the words falling with Marinette’s heart.

Alix had the decency to look appropriately apologetic. “No.”

“…Thank you.” She wasn’t ready to tell Alya. It meant coming clean about years of friendship peppered with white lies. When she was ready, Marinette had decided that Chat deserved to know first. He was her partner since the very beginning and, if the worst should happen to her, the next Guardian. Alya would find out second.

By the time Marinette glanced up, Alix had polished off her plate and was checking the time. A familiar silver pocket watch clicked shut with a _snap_ before the skater was smiling. “Shall we?”

Cold air bit at exposed skin as the pair stepped out into the November afternoon. It was chill enough for sweaters and hot cocoa but not enough to discourage time outdoors. “Thanks again. I really enjoyed our little lunch date,” Marinette making a mental note to reach out to the current day Alix.

“I had a blast. Gotta bounce, though,” the girl winking again even as she fluffed pink spikes. “Got some history to check up on for my dad’s new exhibit.”

“Something tells me you’re not fond of the library.”

“Dusty old books?” Alix laughed. “As if. I prefer the real deal.”

“Say…” Marinette’s smile slipping a bit as her gut gave an uncomfortable twist, “had you not told me…would something bad have happened?”

“With this? No. Not really. I just know you want to tell _him_ first.”

Him. Chat Noir. Marinette’s heart fluttered with nerves. How many times had she thought to share identities? She was the Guardian now; she had a viable reason to ask for his true name except that she knew it wasn’t fair. They were chosen together; Guardian or not she wasn’t any better than Chat. If she wanted Chat Noir’s secret, Ladybug had to offer hers in exchange.

“Yeah,” Marinette glanced away as she fussed with her purse. “It’s just…he deserves to be first, right?” Her gaze flitted up and she felt the cold air get stuck in her throat as gleaming blue eyes gazed back.

“Marinette?” Alix leaned closer with concern pinching pink brows. “Are you alright? You went pale.”

“F-fine. I’m fine!” Her friend’s eyes were the same as before with the blue contacts, devoid of any supernatural glimmer or feline pupils. “If…if something bad were to happen, you’d tell me, right?”

“Of course. That’s why you trusted me.” Wind fluffed pink hair as Alix tilted her head. “What’s wrong?”

“Do…do you have time?”

“Marinette, I have nothing but Time,” the woman grinning at her own joke. “Come on,” and Alix motioned for them to walk elsewhere. Once they were in a quieter location, she crossed her arms over her chest and gave Marinette a solid look. “What’s bothering you?”

“Nothing’s bothering me.”

“Then why did you suddenly go pale and ask if I would fix things?”

“I didn’t ask you to fix anything.”

“You asked if something bad happens because of Alya knowing, and then again if I would tell you if something bad does happen. I know you, Marinette. Really well at this point. You don’t ask stuff like that without a reason so spill. What’s bothering you?” Gone was the wide, carefree grin and instead Alix gave her friend a stern stare.

Marinette stared back for two heartbeats before she averted her gaze and sighed. “I’m scared to tell him. I know he should be first. I _want_ him to be first, but I’m scared.”

Alix relented and assumed a more casual stance. “That’s totally reasonable. You’ve been guarding your secret for years now. It’s like talking to someone on the internet and deciding to actually meet in person. It’s scary because you’re making yourself vulnerable.”

“Yeah.”

**_Marinette_** , the growl of her name had dulled to a rumble with time. How long it had been since that nightmare plagued her, Marinette couldn’t say, but it had come back every now and then. She never garnered new information, could never remember where they were or why there was tension between long-standing partners. Marinette repeatedly pushed it to the side with growing frustration and suppressed her unease with the real Chat Noir. He had done nothing wrong.

“Something tells me there’s more to this,” Alix broke Marinette from her own thoughts. “Listen, I can’t make you tell me but you chose me to keep everyone safe, including you. _Especially_ you, because if anything happened to you, it puts everyone else at risk. You picked me because I can keep a secret.”

Something about that tickled at Marinette’s memory. There was a little poke from her purse indicating Tikki’s opinion. “You’re right. It’s…personal, so maybe we should go back to my place for privacy?” Marinette winced. Today really wasn’t going as planned but at least Alix could gain back her time.

“Sounds good.”

The two women walked in a thick silence through the city until they made it to the patisserie. The shop was packed with customers and the city sounds were accented with the frequent ringing of the front bell as patrons came and went. Sabine gave the duo a smile and wave as Marinette made for the door to the apartments above.

“You’re in luck,” Marinette opening the front door for her friend, “I think we still have some carrot cake in the fridge.”

“Seems I picked a good time,” Alix winked as she moved towards the stairs.

Marinette cut a slice of cake and grabbed several cookies before leading the way up to her room. Tikki came out from the purse to greet Alix and Fluff warmly before taking up a spot on the desk. The ravenette set the plate down there for both kwami to enjoy before seating herself in the computer chair.

The skater found her way over to the chaise and sat down with her feet kicked out and arms braced backwards in her trademark pose of relaxation. It was also an indication Alix was listening.

“Okay. So.” Marinette wrung her hands as she tried to figure how best to broach a subject she’d been suppressing for years.

“It’s good to talk about it, Marinette,” Tikki encouraged from the desk.

The girl took a deep breath and smoothed her palms over her knees. “I’m scared to tell Chat because…I have this… dream.”

One pink brow rose. “A dream?”

“Yeah. I’ve had it a few times now and it’s always the same. I’m with Chat Noir, except…he’s not Noir. He’s Chat Blanc.” A chill was creeping up her spine just from talking about it. “Everything is white except his eyes, which are blue. It’s weird because we’re having some kind of disagreement but the part that scares me is that he says my name.”

“He calls you Marinette instead of Ladybug?”

“Yes,” and she rubbed at her arms to chase off the chill.

Alix watched her for a bit before sitting up to rest her elbows on her knees. “What else do you remember?”

“That’s it. No matter how hard I try, I can’t remember where we are or what we’re fighting about. I wake up when he says my name.”

“Have you talked to Chat about this at all?”

“What? No! He doesn’t need to know. I… _may_ have been a little weird around him after the first time.” Tikki shot her Chosen a nonplussed expression. “Okay, maybe not just the first time but he didn’t do anything wrong. It’s just a dream. I didn’t want to bother him with it.” She didn’t need Chat to think that she was scared of him.

Alix shared a meaningful look with Fluff before the rabbit moved to sit in her lap. “It’s not a dream, Marinette. It’s a memory.”

Silence pressed around them as bluebell were held by electric blue. “What? But, I’ve never-“

“You have. Well, a different you.” She took in the confused look on Marinette’s face. “Let me explain it this way. If I hadn’t come here today, what would you have done?”

“I…would have bought Alya a gift?” Marinette slowly catching on.

“Yes. And then?”

“You said she’d figure out I’m Ladybug.”

“Exactly. But I used Burrow to warn you about that. What do you think happens now?”

“Nothing? You warned me so it wouldn’t happen.”

Alix sighed and scratched at her head briefly. “That’s not exactly right. What you experience will be totally different, but the reality of her finding out from the fox purse still exists to a small degree.”

“Is it like another timeline?”

“Yes and no. It’s easier if you think of it more like a Time Loop.” Alix drew shapes in the air as if Marinette could visualize the Loop. Her fingers then stopped at various spots as she continued.“Point A is Marinette buying the gift. Point B is giving the gift to Alya. C is Alya confronting you about being Ladybug. That series has to happen in order for, point D, Bunnix to decide to jump to point A to alter the course of time. Point A now becomes point AA and moves on to a different result.”

“Doesn’t that just mean in one timeline, Alya finds out, and in my timeline she doesn’t?”

“No, because the Loop closes that Timeline. It only exists in that Loop.”

Marinette tried to reason through the process on her own before she shook her head once. “What does Alya’s loop have to do with my dream?”

“I told you, it’s not a dream,” Alix offered as gently as she could. “It’s another Loop. One in which Chat Noir knew who you are and was akumatized. I Burrowed when I knew something was off and helped you to close the Loop but it seems like the Mini Bug from that Loop resonated with you.”

“Resonated?”

“Resonance is when you acquire some experience or knowledge from your other self. You must have interacted briefly with the other Ladybug before the Loop closed. There’s a general rule not to interact with yourself to prevent effects like that but you had to in order to use your Lucky Charm.”

“Oh!” and Marinette covered her mouth with both hands as her eyes focused on a different time. “I totally forgot. I was in Adrien’s room. I saw myself. Another Ladybug.”

“That’s likely when the resonance happened.” Fluff went back to the plate to search for any cake crumbles left. He eventually settled for one of the cookies. “Before that Ladybug stopped existing.”

The reality sank in, her posture falling with Marinette’s mood. “So Chat Noir _was_ akumatized.” She searched Alix’s face for answers.”What happened?”

“Ugh,” the skater girl scratching her hair out of frustration. “Trying to decide how much to tell you.” She fell silent for a moment before shifting in her seat. “You had done something that revealed your identity. I can’t tell you how, but Chat Noir was put in a very bad spot that made him an easy target. I took Mini Bug you to that Time where you fought with Chat Blanc. You purified his akuma and then we Burrowed back to undo your mistake.”

“Why did we have to fight at all? Why couldn’t you have simply stopped me?”

“I didn’t know enough to do so, and it’s better if you fixed your own mistake. Time is funny like that.”

Marinette huffed with frustration of not understanding. “How do you know when to Burrow, if it’s all past to you?”

The skater smirked at that. “A Rabbit has her secrets,” was the sole answer she gave.

The two women watched each other as the silence stretched. “So…he knew my name.”

“He did.”

“…Did knowing my name put him in that bad spot?”

“Can’t tell you that, sorry.”

Marinette shifted uncomfortably. “So I got him akumatized.”

“Ugh, you make this so difficult. Not directly.”

“What happened to that Chat Noir?”

“He exists only within that Loop, same as how your other self exists only within that Loop.”

“Do we – they – just cease to exist?”

“That’s harder to answer but effectively yes because the Loop is closed.”

“But you clearly retained your memories of Chat Blanc, so I guess adjusting the timeline doesn’t change your experience.”

“No, but that’s part of being a Rabbit,” Alix winking.

“If I have memories of that fight, does…this timeline’s Chat Noir… does he have any memories of being Chat Blanc?”

“He shouldn’t since the two never met. But,” and Alix’s voice became stern, “I wouldn’t ask him. It’s probably better he doesn’t know anything about this. I wouldn’t even tell him it was a dream.”

Marinette accepted that with a nod. Her fingers lightly pet Tikki’s head. “Alix…why did mini me have to Burrow? Why didn’t the Ladybug in that timeline save him?”

“…She failed.”

It felt like her heart stopped as cold washed over her frame. “Failed?” Ladybug had _failed?_ To save Chat of all people?

Alix shifted again and cracked her knuckles. “Chat Blanc was so distressed his Cataclysm killed both you and Hawkmoth. He struggled up until the other you purified the akuma.”

“How long?” her voice soft as her throat constricted. “How long did he struggle alone?”

“I don’t know.”

“That’s so sad.” Chat Blanc had suffered because of her. A touch from Tikki drew Marinette’s gaze downward. Her hands were trembling, the ravenette forcing them onto her thighs to stop the motion. “Maybe it’s better to keep our secrets,” the words tearing at her heart. “I don’t want to hurt him.”

“Marinette,” Alix called her name softly. “You won’t.”

“But I did! I had to, if he knew who I was and got akumatized.”

“The two events were connected, sure, but knowing your name is _not_ what caused him pain.”

“Then what happened!” Tears pressed at the back of her eyes but Marinette held them at bay. If she _knew_ , maybe she could protect him.

“I-“ and Alix caught herself, softening her tone to the point of lamentation. “I can’t tell you. I gave you what details I thought are safe enough. You’re not the one to hurt him, Marinette. I promise you that.”

“How will this time be any different? If the two are related then how can I reveal myself to him without fear that Chat Blanc will happen again?” Desperation pressed her forward, Marinette’s hands balling into fists as she fought to keep her fear from becoming anger.

“Circumstances changed. I can’t tell you more than that.” Blue held to blue as both women sought to will the other into understanding. “You trusted me with the Miraculous of the Rabbit. Trust me in this, Marinette. I promise you, you will be happy.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my first time writing Alix/Bunnix. She’s an interesting character that I’m thinking to explore in a different fanfiction. A reader pointed out some gaps with how she is written in the show, gaps I’m hoping to fill in with head canon. Time travel is a really interesting but tricky subject because it’s so easy to be inconsistent. I hope that this chapter made sense to everyone with how I’m justifying her Miraculous ability.


	3. Chapter 3

_You’re breaking more than just my heart, **Marinette**._

Blue eyes opened to the dark. The shiver traveling along her frame had little to do with the cool air. This time, Marinette carefully arranged herself and focused on her breathing against her anxious heart. The dream was escaping again but she focused on holding onto just one grain of sand in the hourglass. She had seen Chat Blanc cry. The world took on a strange tilt, the girl aware of warm covers even as she fell half asleep.

A forlorn figure. An apocalyptic landscape. A fight for her Miraculous.

_Marinette_ , her name filled with sadness.

Something shifted on the pillow next to her. Tikki, she realized, as Marinette became more awake than asleep. A couple blinks revealed there were tears clustered to her lashes. The bed was suddenly too warm. And the ravenette eased the covers off before impulse struck. The cover came away easily as the girl climbed up onto her balcony.

Nighttime air still clung to autumn despite the turn of the month. The cover was pulled about her like a cloak as Marinette allowed the tears to do what they will.

He had been crying, conflicted even with his akumatization.

_Chat Blanc has gotten into some mischief._

The images of a destroyed Paris were fleeting but she understood now where they had been.

_I’ll fix everything._

With the moon for her witness, Marinette mourned for this other Chat. Several parts of the memory eluded her still but the terror had been in full effect. Her heart raced even now at the thought of fighting to save her Chat.

“Marinette?”

An unattractive squawk escaped her mouth as Marinette jumped, eyes blown wide as she spun to see a familiar black figure on her roof.

“Chat Noir!? What are you doing here?”

“I felt like a midnight run.” The hero hopped down easily so he could stand in front of her. Time had done him well, Chat gaining lean muscle, a defined jaw, and a full head’s height over Marinette. It was easy to see why his fan base had tripled and how Chat Noir had been named the celebrity crush of the year, succeeding even in beating out Paris' golden boy Adrien Agreste.

“O-oh.” She blinked only to realize a tear had clung to her lashes. One hand came up to wipe at her face briefly.

“You’re crying,” his voice was soft as he took a small step forward. One gloved hand had begun to reach for her before he second guessed himself, the claws curling inward slowly.

“I just had a dream, is all.” Marinette put on a smile for him. How ironic that he should want to comfort her when she was crying for him.

“A bad dream?”

“More like…a sad one.” She adjusted the blanket over herself.

Chat moved smoothly to the space next to her. “If you want to talk about it, I can listen. I’m a great listener,” and he indicated both the cat and human ears attached to his head.

“Thank you but I’m okay. Just having some company helps.”

“Glad to be of assistance.”

Having him so close now in light of the memory was surprisingly frustrating. She had failed _him?_ “Actually…” and Marinette blushed as she peered up through her bangs, “I could use a hug.”

Chat Noir smiled gently, turning towards her and opening his arms in welcome. The sensation of holding him nearly brought her back to tears with relief. She _hadn’t_ failed, Marinette firmly told herself. Ladybug and Bunnix had saved him. Chat was safe. The sense of warmth and a scent she’d come to associate with him enveloped her, Marinette clinging to him even as the blanket slipped away.

“You’ll get cold,” but it didn’t feel like he was ready to let go, either.

“You’re warm.”

There was a short chuckle and she could sense him smiling. “Here,” Chat pulling away briefly to grab the dropped cover. It was with strange clarity as he fixed the blanket around her before picking her up. Marinette's face was aflame as Chat carried her towards the single chair on the patio. It was with miraculous grace that her partner sat down with her held against him. “Now you won’t get cold.”

“Chat! This is-!“ except she didn’t know what this was. It was intimate and surprising and pleasant with her legs draped over his thighs and a strong arm at her back. When the best word failed to present itself, Marinette simply fell silent. “Nevermind,” the word muffled as he kept waiting for the conclusion.

“You only had the one chair,” he pointed out casually.

“I usually only need the one chair.”

“Maybe you should consider two.”

That earned a grumble in reply. Maybe two would be good for when Alya was over but telling him she might get a second sounded like an invitation.

“This is nice,” Chat broke the tension. His eyes were turned towards the moon, one arm supporting her back with the other hand resting casually over her bundled calves. “I don’t get to relax like this with my friends.”

The fight left her all at once. Marinette sighed and relaxed into his chest that she followed the rise and fall of his breathing. “Why not?”

“Ladybug is usually busy.” His tone was more amused than anything but Marinette still felt a little guilty over it. Perhaps she would reach out to him around the holidays.

“Ladybug can’t be your only friend.”

“She isn’t, but my other friends are also the busy type.”

Again, his tone was free of judgment or bitterness yet guilt wedged itself further into her chest. _I promise. You’ll be happy_. The sudden thought to admit her secret here and now ran rampant through her brain. It could be as simple as dropping his nickname and seeing if he caught it, or it could be as complicated as actually trying to tell him though that would likely play out as well as her love confessions to Adrien usually went.

“Chat Noir, can I ask you a question?”

“Shoot.”

“If you and Ladybug could share your identities, would you? I mean, I’m assuming that you two don’t already know but, if you could, would you?”

His reply was instantaneous. “Of course. She’s my best friend.”

“What would you do, once you knew?”

A bright smile pulled at his mouth. “I’ll ask her on a date, take her to a nice dinner, get her flowers, everything. I really hope she likes dancing.”

_Nope_ , she was so not ready to admit to anything.

“And if she says…no?”

“Then she’ll still be my best friend.”

It was all Marinette could do to keep the guilt at bay.

“What if you never reveal your identities?”

He was silent for a bit, one claw lightly tapping the blanket in thought. “If that’s her choice. I’ve wanted to be honest with her for a long time but she has to be ready, too.”

“You’ve been waiting for her?”

He nodded his golden head, an action she felt more than saw. “And I’ll wait however long she needs.”

It was fortunate she was tucked up against his chest, Chat unable to see what she was confident was a giveaway as Marinette’s face contorted with emotion. He had been waiting and would continue to wait. For _her_.

“What if she’s not what you expected?”

“Impossible.”

“What?”

“That’s impossible. She’s my best friend. I know her.”

“But you only know one side of her.”

He attempted to peer down at her, the light from the moon catching his eyes at just the right angle that they shone a brilliant green. “Tell me, Marinette, do you think that knowing only part of someone prevents you from knowing them?”

Could she say that she didn’t know him? Was the Chat Noir she knew limited to the mask he wore? Marinette knew him as brave and silly; she had caught hints of a lonely personal life but that didn’t stop him from being kind. Anytime she needed him, Chat was there with playful banter and sweet words. He had seen her through some of her darkest moments, all unasked for, because that was who he is. “N-no…I guess not.” Turning the question on herself, Marinette finally understood that sharing identities with him wouldn’t be as scary as she thought. _Circumstances changed_ , Bunnix had said. Marinette adjusted to better fit against Chat. _Not now_ , the girl enjoying their closeness. _But soon, Chaton._ “You don’t need to be anywhere?”

“Nah, I got plenty of time.”

“What about your midnight run?”

“Already done,” amusement coloring his voice.

Her mouth quirked into a small smile as she enjoyed simply _being_. “Thank you for keeping me company. This is really nice,” Marinette echoed him from earlier, relaxing further into his frame. The comfort of his warmth and scent was soporific. With her ear was over his chest, she took to counting the steady beats of his heart as his breathing lulled her deeper.

“Marinette,” his voice spoke softly after a time. When there was no answer, Chat glanced down to see her fast asleep. His free hand moved hair away from her eyes before brushing her cheek feather light. He fixed the blanket more firmly closed before turning his eyes to the moon again. The corners of his mouth quirked up with a smile as he quietly began to sing; _“Black kitty on a roof, cuddled up with his pink Lady.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> He /knows/. Why? Because I love teasers and drama. It is 100% canon based on the episode that Adrien would sit on the secret if he discovered her identity first. It just happens to be, in this story, he doesn’t realize he’s the object of her affections as he figures out in Chat Blanc.
> 
> I initially wanted to end this with, “Sweet dreams, mon Coeur,” as the clue but my heart just broke at hearing the Little Kitty line three times. Adrien sings that to his mother’s statue in Felix, Chat Blanc sings it on the destroyed Eiffel, and Chat Noir sings it as he waits for Ladybug. I simply had to reference it much as I wanted him to call Marinette mon Coeur. 
> 
> If you didn’t catch the line in the episodes: “Little kitty on a roof, all alone without his Lady.” QQ
> 
> There may eventually be a fourth chapter/reveal but I am considering this story complete as my mind runs off with other projects.

**Author's Note:**

> Reasoning as to why Marinette does not recall Chat Blanc for those interested into a sleepless mom’s brain: 
> 
> There is a slight discrepancy between what is canon and what I think should have happened (like with Oblivio). At the end of the episode, Ladybug sits with Chat Noir and comments, “I did it,” suggesting that she remembers the fight to save him. The Ladybug that Burrowed and fought Chat Blanc (LB-A) is the one that disappears during the Miraculous Cure. She tells the other Ladybug (LB-B), “It’s for the best, trust me,” which to me suggests that the Ladybug that remains (B) should not remember anything. 
> 
> There is a whole lot of theory and headache that goes into time travel as a plot device. I adore this episode to bits for the drama and seriously commend the writers for it. My personal interpretation for the ending is that no one but Bunnix would actually know what happened. Ladybug-B could reasonably have figured from seeing Ladybug-A that Bunnix intervened, justifying the next scene:
> 
> Ladybug-B: “When you travel through time, do you forget what happened when you’re done?” 
> 
> Bunnix then answers about how she remembers and now knows Marinette’s secret. Nothing is said for if or why Marinette would remember.


End file.
